Two people, including a Mississauga teenager, are in police custody following a series of bank robberies, including one at the CIBC branch in south-end Barrie last week.
Durham Regional Police say they have two suspects wanted in connection with two Ajax bank robberies last week were arrested after committing the same crime in Hamilton.
Following the two robberies in Ajax on March 6, 2019, the Durham Regional Police robbery unit launched an investigation and reached out to their counterparts across the Greater Toronto Area.
Police allege the same two suspects robbed a CIBC in Barrie the following day.
Barrie police responded to the CIBC branch at Yonge Street and Big Bay Point Road on March 7 around 2:30 p.m. The suspects, who obtained an undisclosed amount of money, had already fled the scene when officers arrived.
Investigators were also able to link the suspects to a robbery that occurred previously at a CIBC branch in Vaughan on March 4.
Durham Regional Police say they identified the suspects with the assistance of York Regional Police and began monitoring their activities.
On Monday, March 11, the suspects were located in Hamilton at a CIBC branch on Rymal Road East. Police say the two suspects robbed that bank, but were confronted by Durham Region officers as they were heading back to their getaway vehicle.
After a brief foot pursuit, the two suspects were arrested.
The investigation revealed that the two suspects had been targeting CIBC and Scotiabank locations. They were utilizing stolen vehicles to assist in the execution of these crimes, police say.
Michael Christopher, a 20-year-old Etobicoke man, has been charged with five counts of robbery and five counts of wearing a disguise.
A 16-year-old male from Mississauga also faces the same charges.
A third male youth, whose age has not been released, was arrested and charged by York Regional Police in connection with the Vaughan robbery.
Anyone with information can contact Det.-Const. Jason Price (ext. 5359) or Det. Jamie Derusha (ext. 5361) of the Durham Regiona Police robbery unit at 1-888-579-1520.
